Putter head

Abstract

A golf club, particularly a putter, having a head which includes an elongated element affixed to a shell and a method of assembling the golf club. The elongated element includes two laterally spaced masses, a linking portion extending between the two laterally spaced masses and a generally planar front surface constituting a golf ball striking surface. The shell, which is adapted to have a shaft extending therefrom, includes a front portion having an opening for receiving and seating the elongated element, while leaving the generally planar front surface exposed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A putter head comprising: (a) an elongated element having a vertical plane of symmetry, said elongated element comprising: (i) two laterally spaced masses, each of said two laterally spaced masses comprising a shape having an increasing dimension with respect to a direction normal to and away from said vertical plane of symmetry and a predetermined density;   (ii) a linking portion extending between said two laterally spaced masses; and   (iii) a generally planar front surface constituting a golf ball striking surface;     (b) a shell adapted to have a shaft extending therefrom, said shell having a front portion, said front portion of said shell having an opening for receiving and seating said elongated element, while leaving said generally planar front surface exposed, said shell comprising a material having a density lower than said predetermined density of either of said masses, wherein said masses provide an increased moment of inertia for said elongated element so as to prevent undesirable rotation of the putter head at the moment of contact with a golf ball; and   (c) means for affixing said elongated element to said shell comprising means for directly securing at least one of (i) said laterally spaced masses and (ii) said linking portion to said shell.   
     
     
       2. The putter head of claim 1, wherein said elongated element is made as a unitary piece. 
     
     
       3. The putter head of claim 1, wherein said elongated element is formed by an assembly of three pieces, consisting of said two laterally spaced masses and said linking portion, wherein said linking portion includes said generally planar front surface. 
     
     
       4. The putter head of claim 1, further comprising a filling material located within said shell and rearward of said elongated element. 
     
     
       5. The putter head of claim 1, wherein said means for affixing said elongated element to said shell include coaxial bores formed within said elongated element and said shell and at least one dowel force-fitting within said coaxial bores. 
     
     
       6. The putter head of claim 5, wherein said coaxial bores comprise a transverse bore formed in each of said laterally spaced masses, and wherein a dowel is force-fitted within each of said bores. 
     
     
       7. The putter head of claim 1, wherein each of said elongated element and said shell have respective peripheries and a peripheral joint interposed between said respective peripheries, whereby said elongated element and said shell are joined together. 
     
     
       8. The putter head of claim 1, wherein said means for affixing said elongated element shell comprises means for centering said elongated element relative to said shell. 
     
     
       9. The putter head of claim 1, wherein said elongated element is made from sintered steel. 
     
     
       10. The putter head of cl aim 9, wherein said elongated element further includes a quantity of a metal denser than said sintered steel which has been migrated to said sintered steel by heating. 
     
     
       11. The putter head of claim 10, wherein said elongated element comprises a plurality of compartments for receiving said quantity of metal. 
     
     
       12. A putter comprising the putter head of claim 1, in combination with said shaft connected to said shell. 
     
     
       13. The putter head of claim 1, said means for directly securing comprising means for directly securing said laterally spaced masses to said shell. 
     
     
       14. The putter head of claim 1, wherein said shell is a formed as a unitary piece having no rearwardly facing opening. 
     
     
       15. The putter head of claim 1, wherein said material of which said shell is comprised is synthetic. 
     
     
       16. A putter head comprising: (a) an elongated element having a vertical plane of symmetry, said elongated element comprising: (i) two laterally spaced masses, each of said two laterally spaced masses comprising a shape having increasing dimensions with respect to a direction normal to and away from said vertical plane of symmetry, wherein each of said two laterally spaced masses comprises a shape which tapers rearwardly and in a direction toward each other;   (ii) a linking portion extending between said two laterally spaced masses; and   (iii) a generally planar front surface constituting a golf ball striking surface;     (b) a shell adapted to have a shaft extending therefrom, said shell having a front portion, said front portion of said shell having an opening for receiving and seating said elongated element, while leaving said generally planar front surface exposed; and   (c) means for affixing said elongated element to said shell comprising means for directly securing at least one of (i) said laterally spaced masses and (ii) said linking portion to said shell,    wherein said masses provide an increased moment of inertia for said elongated element so as to prevent undesirable rotation of the putter head at the moment of contact with a golf ball.   
     
     
       17. The putter head of claim 16, wherein each of said laterally spaced masses has a depth dimension which increases downwardly and a width dimension which increases in a direction away from said plane of symmetry. 
     
     
       18. A golf club comprising: (a) an element having a vertical plane of symmetry, at least two lateral portions, a linking portion extending between said two lateral portions and a front surface constituting a golf ball striking surface, each of said two lateral portions comprising a shape having an increasing dimension with respect to a direction normal to and away from said vertical plane of symmetry and a predetermined density;   (b) a shell adapted to have a shaft extending therefrom, said shell having a front portion, said front portion of said shell having an opening for receiving and seating said element, while leaving said front surface exposed, said shell comprising a material having a density lower than said predetermined density of either of said lateral portions, wherein said lateral portions provide an increased moment of inertia for said elongated element so as to prevent undesirable rotation of the golf club at the moment of contact with a golf ball; and   (c) means for affixing said element to said shell comprising means for directly securing at least one of (i) said two lateral portions and (ii) said linking portion to said shell.   
     
     
       19. The golf club of claim 18, wherein each of said two lateral portions are formed in a shape which tapers in a direction toward each other. 
     
     
       20. The golf club of claim 18, wherein said element is made as a unitary piece. 
     
     
       21. The golf club of claim 18, further comprising a filling material located within said shell and rearward of said element. 
     
     
       22. The golf club of claim 18, wherein said means for affixing said element to said shell include coaxial bores formed within said element and said shell and at least one dowel fitted within said coaxial bores. 
     
     
       23. The golf club of claim 22, wherein said coaxial bores comprise a bore formed in each of said lateral portions, and wherein a dowel is fitted within each of said bores. 
     
     
       24. The golf club of claim 23, wherein said means for affixing said element to said shell further comprises means for centering said element relative to said shell. 
     
     
       25. The golf club of claim 24, wherein each of said lateral portions have recesses which said coaxial bores extend, wherein said shell comprises bosses through which corresponding ones of said coaxial bores extend, and wherein said means for centering said element relative to said shell comprises said bosses of said shell mating with respective ones of said recesses of said element as said element is affixed to said shell. 
     
     
       26. The golf club of claim 18, wherein each of said element and said shell have respective peripheries which are joined together. 
     
     
       27. The golf club of claim 18, wherein said element is made from sintered steel. 
     
     
       28. The golf club of claim 27, wherein said element further includes a quantity of a metal denser than said sintered shell which has been migrated to said sintered steel by heating. 
     
     
       29. The golf club of claim 28, wherein said metal is copper. 
     
     
       30. The golf club of claim 28, wherein said element comprises a plurality of compartments for receiving said quantity of metal. 
     
     
       31. The golf club of claim 30, wherein at least two of said compartments are located within said lateral portions. 
     
     
       32. A golf club of claim 18, further comprising said shaft connected to said shell. 
     
     
       33. The putter head of claim 18, said means for directly securing comprising means for directly securing said laterally spaced masses to said shell. 
     
     
       34. The putter head of claim 18, wherein said material of which said shell is comprised is synthetic. 
     
     
       35. A golf club comprising: (a) an element having a vertical plane of symmetry, at least two lateral portions, a linking portion extending between said two lateral portions and a front surface constituting a golf ball striking surface, each of said two lateral portions comprising a shape having increasing dimensions with respect to a direction normal to and away from said vertical plane of symmetry, wherein each of said two lateral portions are formed in a shape which tapers downwardly;   (b) a shell adapted to have a shaft extending therefrom, said shell having a front portion, said front portion of said shell having an opening for receiving and seating said element, while leaving said front surface exposed; and   (c) means for affixing said element to said shell comprising means for directly securing at least one of (i) said two lateral portions and (ii) said linking portion to said shell, wherein said masses provide an increased moment of inertia for said elongated element so as to prevent undesirable rotation of the golf club at the moment of contact with a golf ball.     
     
     
       36. The golf club of claim 35, wherein each of said two lateral portions are formed in a shape which tapers in a direction toward each other. 
     
     
       37. A putter head comprising: (a) an elongated element having a vertical median plane, said elongated element comprising: (i) two laterally spaced masses being located on either side of said vertical median plane, each of said laterally spaced masses having a shape which increases both downwardly and outwardly from said median plane;   (ii) a linking portion extending between said two laterally spaced masses; and   (iii) a generally planar front surface constituting a golf ball striking surface;     (b) a shell adapted to have a shaft extending therefrom, said shell having a front portion, said front portion of said shell having an opening for receiving and seating said elongated element, while leaving said generally planar front surface exposed; and   (c) means for affixing said elongated element to said shell, wherein said masses provide an increased moment of inertia for said elongated element so as to prevent undesirable rotation of the putter head at the moment of contact with a golf ball.     
     
     
       38. The putter head of claim 37, wherein said elongated element has a vertical plane of symmetry and said shell has a vertical plane of symmetry, wherein said means for affixing said elongated element to said shell comprises means for centering said elongated element with said shell, whereby said vertical plane of symmetry of said elongated element and said vertical plane of symmetry of said shell coincide upon said elongated element being affixed to said shell, said means for centering comprising mating portions of said elongated element cooperating with respective mating portions of said shell. 
     
     
       39. The putter head of claim 38, said mating portions of said elongated element and said respective mating portions of said shell of said means for centering comprising bores in each of said two laterally space masses for alignment with bores in said shell, said bores in said shell including a bore on either side of said vertical plane of symmetry of said shell extending generally vertically through a lower portion of said shell communicating with said opening of said shell. 
     
     
       40. The putter head of claim 37, said means for centering further comprising plugs positioned within each of said bores of said two laterally spaced masses and extending through said bores of said shell extending through said lower portion of said shell for securing said elongated element to said shell.